Electrically powered typewriters of the prior art have been adapted for automatic playback operation from a data source by mounting inside the typewriter various switches for sensing the depression of keys and various solenoids to produce the mechanical effect of depression of a key. The outputs of the various switches are recorded; and automatic typing is subsequently effected by using the recorded data to actuate the solenoids. Such conversion of a powered typewriter into an automatic typewriter requires laborious disassembly and reassembly of the typewriter itself, in order to install the auxiliary switches and solenoids; and if automatic operation of the typewriter is no longer desired, then the typewriter must be disassembled in order to remove the auxiliary components. Such devices for converting powered typewriters into automatic typewriters are shown in Murdoch et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,624 and Holmes U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,851.
Other devices of the prior art for automatic operation of a typewriter include externally mounted members for depressing the individual keys of the keyboard. Such devices are exemplified in Buckley U.S. Pat. No. 2,346,819 and Drewell U.S. Pat. No. 2,433,349. My invention contemplates an improvement over these two patents.